


Ghost from the past

by mikuridaigo



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Angst, M/M, Porn With Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-09
Updated: 2016-07-09
Packaged: 2018-07-22 12:06:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7438261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikuridaigo/pseuds/mikuridaigo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i> Based on <a href="http://istehlurvz.tumblr.com/post/147017304654/sokka-voice-i-never-said-he-was-dead-i-said-it"> istehlurvz's comic </a> and tags  #lol ded boyfriend comin back 2 haunt u Zuzu </i>
</p>
<p>Jet returns from the dead, sort of, and meets with Zuko. They have a history.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ghost from the past

**Author's Note:**

> Again, this is based on [ Istehlurvz's lovely artwork and comic ](http://istehlurvz.tumblr.com/post/147017304654/sokka-voice-i-never-said-he-was-dead-i-said-it) of Jet, Zuko, and Sokka. I wasn't a huge Jetko fan (I think I liked them more for lust than romance) but I could not get this idea out of my head after they drew that comic! Please enjoy~
> 
> Also it took me this long to finally figure out Jet died in Lake Laogai, I have no idea why that didn't occur to me the first three thousand times I watched that episode. 
> 
> Un-beta'd.

Fire Lord Zuko rubbed his temples as he reread the reports. Ration raids in the outer ring of Ba Sing Se, missing cargo on ships, and the upper ring refusing to do anything. The radio had announced the uproar of angry citizens in Ba Sing Se, with no reports if the new Earth Queen will do anything to help. Refugees and activists called out for other Kingdoms, like Omashu, The Fire Nation, and Water Tribes to help.

He pouted when warm broth flickered in his face. “Come on Lord Hotman, I asked you out to lunch not to talk politics.”

He looked up at Water Tribe Ambassador Sokka, who had a mouth full of udon. He slurped the noodles, flicking more broth onto his papers.

“Sokka, this is kind of important.”

“Hey, thirty minutes of lunch then I swear we’ll get to talking. Just mulling over it 24/7 will hurt your head.” He said, pointing the chopsticks to Zuko.

“That is really disrespectful.”

“And what are you going to do about it Hotman?” Zuko snapped his fingers, and the next slurp of udon sizzled. Sokka dropped his chopsticks, sticking is tongue out at Zuko. “Not cool.”

Laughing, Zuko pushed away his papers to pour themselves more tea. The door to the noodle shop opened with the owner greeting the new guest. Zuko kept his eyes on his papers as he took another sip of tea. A figure walked over to their table, believing it was their waitress.

“Hello, Jet here.”

The voice, however, caught their attention fully. Standing in front of their table was a tall man with messy brown hair with bandages covering his arms. He wore one shoulder plate and fingerless gloves. But what really stood out was the piece of wheat in his mouth. The man grinned smugly as he waved at them.

Sokka’s chopsticks broke in half while his mouth hung open with a silent scream. Zuko, on the other hand, spat out his tea and choked.

‘Jet’ just laughed as he pulled up a chair. “Missed me?”

Zuko immediately turned to Sokka, accusingly pointing a finger at him. “You said he was _dead_!”

“W-wha?! Huh?! I never said he was dead, I said it was _unclear!”_

“Aw, you asked about me, _Lee?_ ”

Zuko blushing wasn’t a new concept. During his younger days with Team Avatar everyone teased him just to see him stammer and turn red. But right now, this was the reddest Sokka saw Zuko. Jet sat there, still smiling with the stupid piece of wheat stick.

Leering his gaze, Sokka hesitantly poked Jet’s cheek once, then twice, then in a succession. Jet snatched his hand. “Okay, he’s real.”

“Are you sure?” Zuko asked. “Could be a spirit world trick.”

“I don’t think spirits can become solid.” Sokka speculated.

“Is there anything I can get you?” Their waitress asked, specifically looking at Jet.

“Just an extra cup for the tea.”

She smiled and walked away. Sokka turned to Zuko again. “He’s real.”

Jet leaned on the table. “Now that we have that established, why don’t we catch up? So I hear you’re the fire lord now.”

“Whoa,” Sokka interrupted, “Let’s back up. Okay, uh, so… you didn’t die?”

“Nope. My turn! Katara is looking very pregnant, and glowing too! So does she need a nanny or a part time lover?”

It was only during the Ember Island Play, twenty years earlier, that Zuko connected that Aang and his friends also knew Jet. He vaguely remembered what Sokka told him, how Jet manipulated Katara when they were younger to their final meeting in Ba Sing Se. It was a very brief story, though, and was said when Sokka and Zuko got drunk years earlier.

So when Sokka’s broken chopsticks snapped in half, again, Zuko knew it had to do with the first story. “You’ve spoken with Katara?”

“Just a few days ago actually, ran into her in Republic City. She was alone in her hotel room.”

Katara was in Republic City, alone, helping Toph address the recent crime trend by giving a public speech. Last speech Toph did on her own ended with harsh words from the press. While Toph joked how printed words can’t affect her, she accepted Katara’s offer so the media couldn’t be in a frenzy. Aang, on the other hand, was off in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se, restoring many buildings for the lower class.

“And she just let you in?” Sokka asked cautiously.

“Oh yeah! She was very, very _glad_ to see me.”

Sokka sat in his seat for another beat, then stood up. “I’m going to make a phone call. What’s Aang’s emergency radio frequency again?”

Jet waved as Sokka left the restaurant, then promptly took his seat so he was directly across from Zuko. Resting his elbows on the table and his chin in his hands, Jet smiled meekly at Zuko. Zuko raised his eyebrow, then jolted when a foot began sliding up his leg. “ _What are you doing?”_

“Hm? Nothing Fire Lord _Lee._ ”

He glared at the former thief. “I can have you arrested for sexually harassing the fire nation’s leader.”

“But will you?” When his foot slid closer to his thigh, Zuko purposely spilled his hot tea on the table. Jet immediately retracted. “Okay you can do that.”

“How are you alive?” Zuko asked. “Last time I saw you, you were taken away by the Dai Li. And then they said you died.”

“Well I’m not. That’s why I went to see Katara, tell my girl I’m alive.”

Zuko frowned. “Your girl?”

“Aw, are you jealous _Lee?_ That I was with her before you?”

“Why do you keep calling me that? You know who I am now.”

Jet shrugged. “I knew you as Lee. The fire bending refugee in Ba Sing Se. The guy who squirmed so cutely when I kissed--"

“Will you lower your voice?” Zuko harshly whispered. Pulling out his wallet, Zuko left money for their meals. “Let’s talk outside.”

“Ay-eye Fire Lord.”

He took Jet by the maple tree gardens just outside the palace. It was a very beautiful and relaxing space, where turtleducks swam in the pond, and families came by to feed them. They walked on a bridge that went over the pond. The view was not only the maple leaves, but the main street and buildings of the shopping district. Zuko leaned on the bannister with Jet mimicking his posture.

Jet scooted closer to him with his wheat strand brushing against Zuko’s cheek. “So? We’re going to talk?”

“… you attacked me in Ba Sing Se.”

“Yes, but to be fair I was correct about my assumptions.”

“And then you just disappeared, and months later a terrible play about us said that you died under the city.”

“They made a play about your lives?”

“So you return, twenty years later, and all you say is ‘Hello?’”

“Why are you repeating information we both know about?”

Zuko rubbed his temple. “I am in the middle of a poverty war in a Kingdom that still does not approve of anything related to the fire nation, while their people are begging for our help. Crime in Republic City is growing, and now you come back from the dead. I think I have the right to be a little confused and tired.”

“But I never died.”

“… then let’s start there. What the hell happened to you?”

Jet shrugged, turning around so that his back was against the railing. “Smellerbee and Longshot got me out of there. Found a kind healer, recovered, and now I’m here.”

“Sokka said you had major internal injuries. Katara couldn’t heal you.”

“She healed just enough so that they could take me out. The healer did the rest.” Zuko didn’t look convinced. “Look I know it’s hard to believe but that’s what happened. The details aren’t that great either. Let’s just say when I finally woke up—

“You were in a coma?!”

“—Republic City was suddenly built, Smellerbee and Longshot married and has a cute kid, but I couldn’t just barge in on their lives.”

“So what are you doing here? You hate the fire nation.”

Jet sighed. “Yes, but after reading what you and the Avatar have done, and how you punished many of the fire nation generals, let’s just say I had a change of heart.”

“Uh-huh.”

“ _And,”_ Now Jet was closer than before, “When I saw your face as the Fire Nation Leader, I became curious. I had to know how refugee Lee was actually Fire Lord Zuko.”

Jet’s fingers lightly touched Zuko’s face, forcing Zuko to look at him. When Jet leaned in, their lips just inches apart, Zuko pushed him away. He just laughed.

“But Katara explained everything. Told me how she forgave you and all the good you’ve done to redeem your country, blah, blah, blah, and she told me how to find you.”

“That’s just it.” Zuko said. “Why did you come after me?”

“Really, you don’t know?” Before Zuko could respond Jet took his hand and lifted it to his mouth, leaving a light kiss on his palm. Zuko quickly retracted and looked around, as if expecting the media or a spy to catch them.

“Jet, that was…”

“Many great nights. It was fun sneaking around your uncle.” He said with a wink.

“I… I…”

“Come on _Lee,_ you couldn’t have just forgotten what we did on the ship, or in your room in that old tea shop.” If Zuko was red before, then he must have been a new shade. He turned away from Jet, who just laughed again and patted his back. “I’m just teasing you.”

Except Zuko’s mind definitely went back to the tea shop, twenty years earlier, when he was still frustrated, angry, and oh so desperate for a warm touch of another person.

* * *

It was their first night in the tea shop, just a day after Uncle found a job for them. The owner of the tea shop had a spare room in the attic, small, but with two beds and a bathroom just for them. That night Uncle went out on a night walk, just to explore the nightlife.

Zuko just finished stacking all the chairs when the door opened. Jet strutted in, the wheat in his mouth and hook swords by his side.

“Hey Lee.” He said with a grin, eyeing up Zuko in his apron.

 Zuko blushed, knowing that look in Jet’s eye. “Jet, we’re closed.”

“I know, I can read. I saw your uncle leave.”

“Yes, but he could be back anytime.”

Jet took out one of his swords and hooked it to the end of the table. He used it as leverage to jump over the table and land by his side. He leaned forward so that their noses were just touching, and before Zuko could take a step back, he grabbed him by his waist. “I think he’ll be a little busy. So, why don’t you show me your room.”

“It’s not that impressive.” Zuko mumbled.

“Hm, I’ll be the judge of that.” Jet said as he unknotted the apron. “Come on, it’ll be more comfortable than that storage closet. You can be a little louder too.”

Zuko knew it was a terrible idea. Their first time in that boat closet was a bad idea, and this was no better. It was just as risky and since the tea shop was very close to the other buildings, and the walls were thin.

But his lower half said otherwise, reacting to Jet’s little touches on his back. Jet’s finger touched his chin, lifting his face so that they were seeing eye to eye. Then, Jet’s lips were on his, hungrily claiming him. Zuko wrapped his arms around his neck, groaning as Jet squeezed his ass.

When they parted, Zuko dragged him upstairs and blocked the door with a chair. Jet laughed at his make-shift lock, so Zuko pushed him down to the bed and kissed him once again.

The good thing about regular, earth clothing, was how easy it was to remove. No complicated armor or weird ties that took forever to disrobe. His clothes were on the floor in seconds, and Jet’s soon after.

Jet flipped them over, throwing one of Zuko’s legs over his shoulders. In his hand was a small bottle of oil that he coated on his fingers. “Just relax Lee, it’ll be easier like this.”

Zuko turned his head to the side, trying to hide his utter embarrassment from Jet. Jet leaned down and kissed his scared cheek. Zuko groaned when the first finger entered, and then the second. His hands gripped the thin sheets at the third finger. He arched his back and let out a low gasp.

He thought of the breathing techniques Uncle taught him. He had to control himself or he was accidentally going to breath fire from all the pressure built in him. Zuko bit on his hand as Jet slowly stretched him.

“No, let me hear you Lee.” Jet teased out.

“Fuck you.” Zuko scowled, but was sure it came out as a moan.

“Hm, maybe next time. Are you ready?”

Zuko just nodded, spreading himself out just for Jet. Jet aligned himself with Zuko’s entrance and slowly made his way in. Zuko arched again, this time letting out that moan that only turned Jet on.

“That right, make those noises. I wanna hear all of you.”

With another push Zuko let his voice out, grasping at his sheets with Jet’s name on his tongue. “J-Jet, fuck…”

Jet’s hands were on his hips, using him as leverage as he thrusted in again.

The air became dense, and sweat dripped from his forehead with every thrust and movement Jet made in him. The weak bedframe creaked with Jet’s movements, while Zuko closed his eyes and embraced the pleasure between them. He steadied his heart, concentrating on the heat they were both creating, and not the fire that was trying to escape his mouth.

“Lee…” Jet moaned out as his hand moved up his arm. When their fingers laced together, Zuko opened his eye and was met with Jet. His hair covered his face, but he saw the fiery lust in his eyes. His chest was glistened in sweat, breathing just as heavily as Zuko.

Zuko used his other free hand to pull Jet down for another long kiss. Jet’s tongue entered his mouth, tasting every part of Zuko. When they parted again, Zuko pressed their foreheads together, groaning with every thrust. With his other hand, Jet pumped Zuko’s untouched cock, making Zuko gasp out his name.

“Jet! Jet, yes…”

“Come on Lee, come like this. Come with me inside you.”

With another thrust Zuko came, spilling himself in Jet’s hand. Before he could let out another loud moan, Jet silenced him with his mouth once again. Soon after Jet came inside him, and when he pulled out he felt his come drip down his thighs.

Jet fell on top of him, catching his breath before turning over so that they were side by side. Zuko grunted at the uncomfortable stickiness between his legs, wanting to get up to wipe himself. Jet’s hand rested on his waist, asking him to say in place just a bit longer. Zuko turned his back, allowing Jet to spoon him.

They stayed like that for a good ten minutes, just listening to each other’s breathing and the sounds of Ba Sing Se. An animal was rummaging through the trash can, and the neighbor was yelling at her husband. He hated how noisy the lower ring was, filled with dread and anguish from the war.

But when Jet pulled him closer, kissing the back of his neck, those thoughts were pushed away. Right now he was under the warm embrace of a man with a similar past, who just wanted to escape the war.

* * *

It came as a terrible surprise when Jet attacked him a week later, accusing him as a fire bender. While he kept his stoic composure as he watched Jet get dragged away by the Dai Li, he felt himself aching so much for Jet. Angry that he out right attacked him when Zuko did nothing but support him, and sad that he lost a friend, or whatever the hell they were.

He accepted Jet’s death months later, focusing his efforts on helping Aang and restoring the fire nation. After Sokka’s drunken tale, Jet was just another memory. Like Jin and Song, people who have helped him, people he liked, and are now gone. They were good, but their paths differed.

Jet nudged him with his shoulder. “Wha’cha thinking about?”

“Nothing.” He answered too quickly.

“Hm. So tell me, what does the great Fire Lord do for fun? I take that burning cities is not one of your hobbies.” When Zuko didn’t reply, Jet’s hand wandered to his back, and then lowered. This prompted a response as Zuko twisted his arm and placed it behind Jet’s back. “Haha, I did promise you that you can top me some day.”

Zuko immediately released him and gave out a long sigh. “Is that really why you’re here? For sex?”

“Not totally. I mean, if we did end up in your giant bed with a guard watching I wouldn’t mind.”

“Jet, I...” Zuko shook his head. “I’m married. I have a daughter! I…”

_Moved on_ was what he wanted to say. Like everyone else after the war, everyone moved on with their lives. Aang continues to balance peace with all the nations, Katara and Sokka rebuilding the Southern Water Tribe, Toph maintaining order in Republic City, and Zuko, fixing all the mistakes of his family’s past. He and Mai were happily married with a beautiful, talented daughter fit for the throne. There was no reason that he should go back to Jet, reliving that old flame.

But when Jet let out a heartfelt laugh, Zuko felt completely embarrassed. He kicked Jet’s foot, causing the other man to laugh more.

Jet held his stomach. “O-Oh my god! You should see your face! Did you really think I was asking you to cheat on your wife?”

“You—you!” Years of etiquette public speaking training led him to that sentence.

“As I said, I’m just teasing you.” Jet said when he came down from his high. “I saw the picture. You have a beautiful family.”

Zuko returned to staring at the water. A turtleduck swam by. “Thank you. They’re the best thing in this whole entire mess.”

“Yeah, Katara caught me up on Ba Sing Se. Twenty years later and that city is still completely fucked up. So what are you going to do about it?”

Zuko’s hand gripped the bannister. “I don’t know. Sending troops to ensure the rations get there safely will only cause an uproar and accusations of another take over. I don’t want to aggravate the peace between the nations…”

“But you hear them crying for help, huh?” Zuko nodded. “I get that. See this is why I hate politics. Much easier to do things when I had the freedom fighters.”

“Heh, I hear there’s a similar group there now, doing exactly what you did.”

“Really now? Good for them. Honestly that’s the quietest way to fix the Queen’s mess.” Jet took out the wheat and flicked it to the water. “Anyway, I’m glad to see that you were a good guy, and not in prison like the rest of those fire benders.”

“Yeah, I mean I… thanks. Good to see that you lived through all this.”

“Heh, good is one way to put it. Some would say it’s luck. Sokka should be back soon, and I kinda have to go too.” Jet said as he began to walk down the bridge.

Go? Just like that, Jet comes into his life and then disappears without an explanation. “Wait!” Zuko reached out and grabbed his hand. Jet didn’t turn around. “Where are you living? What have you been doing?”

“Hmph, what does it matter? I’m kinda a drifter you know? Go where the action is.”

“I know but…” _you don’t have to live like that_.

It wasn’t fair. Everyone had a chance to move on, start families, fix nations, have stability. Even Jet’s closest friends found peace. But Jet entered the restaurant in clothes similar to the ones he wore twenty years ago, with a spark that represented is sixteen-year-old self. He wasn’t allowed to move on properly like the rest of them.

“Uh, are you going to let go? I’m sure the turtleducks are staring.”

“Let me help you.” He blurted out. “You’re a great warrior, work with us to fix the outer ring of Ba Sing Se. I’m sure Aang can use the assistance, or even in Republic City! There are rooms and accommodations…” He felt himself losing words, trying to think of any job that would suit Jet’s needs and morals. Anything that can give Jet a chance to have a good life.

Jet released himself from Zuko’s grip. Suddenly, his hand covered Zuko’s eyes, and he was met with a kiss. Zuko stiffened, taken by surprise by Jet’s chapped lips, especially how light the kiss was compared to before. But the kiss wasn’t like the one in the tea shop, there was no passion or spark or hunger for him. He stood in place, allowing Jet to take control. Jet made no further movement to do anything else.

When he could see again, Jet was already walking away. His hand rose with a small wave as he exited the gardens.

Zuko touched his lips, unsure now if that kiss actually occurred. It wasn’t warm from another person, like a spirit left a mark instead. When Jet was completely out of sight, Zuko turned around and returned to the palace, never looking back. 


End file.
